The young boy who captured America's hearts as a pint-sized Darth Vader in a Volkswagen ad has revealed he is battling a life-threatening heart condition.

Max Page starred in that famous Super Bowl ad for Volkswagen in 2011. In the commercial, Page - then six - dressed as Darth Vader and used the force to turn on his father’s Volkswagen. Little did he know, his dad was actually pressing a button from his keypad.

“I feel great but then if I move in a way it hurts. I can't go out and play with my friends, I’ve got to stay indoors, so that's been really tough,” he said.

Max's much-needed R&R includes video games with his brother Ellison. Their parents, Jennifer and Buck, are trying to concentrate on his healing.

His mother said: “He's now going to be fully turbocharged. He's going to be a force to reckon with coming up."

His dad added: “He's got a large list of things that he can do and he's ready to get on with those things."

But the frequent surgeries take their toll.

Jennifer said: “The day before, it's hard to pack; it's hard to process anything. And yet you don't want to miss a moment so you try and cram everything in and make sure you've done enough to that point.”

Not surprisingly, Max has a collection of Darth Vader souvenirs, including a lunch box signed, "To Max, May The Force Be With You," by James Earl Jones, whose distinctive voice made the Star Wars villain so unforgettable.